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New Car Trends of 2017 to Keep an Eye Out For

The future is now. As we begin 2017, there are already some amazing innovations happening in technology. Here, we want to focus on emerging new car trends of 2017 that may soar. Last year gave us a glimpse into self-driving transportation, Apple and Google systematic vehicles, motion control, and more modern updates. The new year looks to be a bigger step for cars and the automotive industry. Let’s take a peek at some new car trends.

Restoring Back to Stock

One highlight from last year’s SEMA show was the number of vehicles that had the unoriginal tuning of riveted fender flares. The tuning (modified performance or appearance) trend is running low and reverting (converting) a modified car back to stock condition is moving on up. 2017 may be in store of more of the latter which is restoring classic cars back to their original glory.

Cars Talking to Other Cars

Our guess is that connected cars will be the hot trend going forward. This means that “the cloud” or the internet will have a connection between vehicles on the road, which will assist them in sharing helpful information. Vehicle-to-Vehicle or V2V communication is a revolutionary system that allows multiple cars to share info about driving conditions such as speed, weather, rerouting alerts, traffic updates accidents, etc. This Wi-Fi technology could also communicate with your home, office, and smart devices; providing the driver with essential information each day.

Electric Tuning

Tuning or modifying performance of electric vehicles is just beginning. Although it has yet to improve the performance of the car, it has successfully tweaked the aesthetics. The blend of modern tech and a car’s old aesthetics can produce amazing hybrids. Think about tuning your modified electric Delorean. Doesn’t that sound super sweet?

TRICE

This stands for Track Inspired Cosmetic Enhancement and it could make a big splash in 2017. It includes aerodynamic modifications such as ducktail spoilers and non-functional canards to create that slick, speedy look. Some recent cars have added TRICE like the Mercedes C63 AMG Black and the BMW M3 GTS.

48-Volt Electric System

On the horizon are the 48-volt electric battery systems looking to replace the 12-volt systems that current non-hybrid vehicles incorporate. A vehicle engine with a 48-volt system battery would be more powerful and help enable a range of features that will provide better comfort, performance, and improve fuel economy. Last summer, Mercedes-Benz announced that they will introduce new cars equipped with 48-volt systems. They will use it to power brake regeneration, engine stop-start, and electric boost. The 48-volt system can also help mitigate high-voltage issues on current hybrid and battery-electric cars. Cars will also benefit from four times the voltage of a 12-volt vehicle system. Another benefit is that the 48-volt system will support the technical capabilities of vehicles like autonomous driving, hybrid-drive parts, and computer connectivity. Other automakers such as Audi have already begun implementing this system. We think that the new year will see more of this production.

Computer-Controlled Driving

The age of self-driving and computer-controlled vehicles is still very, very young. Already a trend in 2016, the trend will only get bigger in 2017. With the introduction of Tesla’s autopilot system, vehicles are nearing closer to have cars drive itself safely on a high speed highway and adapt to countless situations. Tesla will continue to enhance autonomous capabilities. CEO Elon Musk stated that Tesla has plans to pack even more self-driving hardware into all of its cars to reach the goal of totally hands-free rides. Currently, a radar has been added to the vehicle, so that your car can see other road vehicles along with a forward-looking camera, a high-precision digitally controlled electric assist braking system, and 12 long-range ultrasonic sensors surrounding the car.
As technology evolves, there will be more competition in the market of autonomous vehicles. Big luxury companies such as Apple, Google, and BMW has also had some movement in developing their own autonomous cars. Last year, even Uber tested a self-driving vehicle for public service in San Francisco. Although, the experiment has halted, it is the step in the right direction.

Excited for the Future

Did you ever think we would come this far? We are so grateful that we get to witness all these incredible new car trends and technologies happening in the automobile industry. Driving on the road may be more simple and safer than ever before. As new car trends appear, Lee’s Frame & Axle will still be around to repair and restore your vehicle for you. Call us at the shop at 310.475.4791.